Chapter 7: It Was Going So Well
A few days later CJ knocked on his office door, Harry looked up as she stepped into the room closing the door behind her. "Ginny Weasley is doing another expose." CJ said to him Harry's icy glare was enough to send chills down her spine as he stood up. "Harry." CJ prompted as he grabbed his coat and started out of the building. "Oh boy." she muttered taking her phone out and dialling to find that he was already out of range.
"Donna get me a moment with the president." CJ said to her as she walked back into the outer office.
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Harry appeared in the Burrow for the second time in a week and he was if possible even more angry than he had been the last time he was there, Molly looked at him in shock, "Where is she." Harry's tone shone with barely contained anger.
"Harry I don't know." Molly said to him.
"Then one of you knows where to find her." Harry Said.
"What did she do?" Molly asked.
"She's doing an expose." Harry said the woman's eyes widened. "If she does that I am going to respond in a way you and your family and she will not like, she may not be a member of the family any more but I have more than enough to destroy it find her before this goes out." Harry said walking out of the house the woman watched stunned by the threat that the man she had thought of as one of her own had just levelled at her.
Harry walk to diagon alley ignoring his phone's persistent ringing, Harry sat at the café for what seemed like hours when he finally spotted the woman he was after. Harry put his half drunk cup of coffee back on the table and headed with her to Gringotts years of hiding had done enough to him so that she did not detect him until they were inside the bank the goblins eyes widened.
"I do hope for your sake that isn't a cheque for the expose." Harry said taking it of her and ripping the thing up before her eyes then incinerating the remains. "You really don't want to make an enemy of me Ginny, I have more friends and family than you would know what to do with." Harry said to the woman who snarled. "Your going to phone them up and cancel the expose now, or you and I are taking a trip and then I am going to destroy you and your former family." Harry said to her she stared. "This is the bit that I am not kidding about." he added.
"What do I care." Ginny said.
"Considering I know that you have had three abortions one of which was when you were still in your fourth year then again in your sixth year and again in your seventh year when we all know that wizarding Britain doesn't allow that. You had better believe the only place your be going is Azkaban for a couple of years each offence." Harry said her eyes widened. "Then there are the love and lust potions you tried to use on me, and the attacks you orchestrated on Draco and your not getting out for a very long time." Harry said to her.
"Fine I'll call it of." Ginny snarled.
"Lets go then." Harry said to her she stamped her foot. "You didn't think that I would actually allow you to do this without me being in your presence when you made the call did you." Harry said to her she sneered. "You think you're the only one who belonged in Slytherin? Seriously." Harry snarled at her she screamed in frustration.
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Three hours later Harry walked into the burrow for the third time, "I wanted to apologise." Harry said sticking a folder in front of Arthur. "She won't do it again." Harry said to him.
"Harry you were angry because of this expose." Molly said.
"Oh yeah I was angry enough to leave my office without a word to any one about it and hunt her down." Harry said his phone rang again Harry took the thing out and answered. "Yes CJ thank you for covering for me, yes I am in England yes I know that would be highly irresponsible. Yes I stopped her from taking the expose deal, oh yeah you had better believe their were some threats in there." Harry said to her he spoke a few minutes later and turned the phone of.
"What is with the folder?" Bill asked him.
"That's a copy of everything I have on your family." Harry said to him. "I still have the original." Harry said before disappearing out of the room with a pop.
"What was that about?" Ron asked.
"He wanted us to know his willing to follow through with the threat." Arthur said pale. "Harry knows that he can't control her so his making sure we know that if we don't he has no problem destroying everyone of us in the media." Arthur said Molly sat down shakily. "I think that when Ginny did what she did she made an enemy for herself and us." he added.
"But why?" Ron asked confused.
"Because when you have children you would do anything to protect them, and she pissed Harry and Draco of by dragging them through the mud just because she couldn't have what she wanted." Hermione said sitting down at the table. "I think your dad is right, Harry is serious about his threat and he will do it." Hermione said to her husband rubbing her swollen stomach.
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Harry walked into his office at four in the afternoon, Donna came into find a white cat sitting on top of the desk staring at her like she was his next meal she turned Harry jumped forms and smiled at her when she turned around.
"Where is the cat?" Donna asked.
"What cat." Harry asked her with a smile on his lips. "You like fluffy." Harry asked her she laughed.
"You know I am a squib right." Donna said.
"That's why I didn't mind you knowing one of my forms." Harry said to her.
"You have more than one form don't you." she said Harry nodded. "Its my favourite party trick, Donna if you don't mind getting us both a late lunch and some coffee some decent coffee." Harry said to her handing her a twenty dollar bill. "A salad for me and my usual coffee plus what you fancy, if it comes to more let me know." Harry said she nodded leaving the office.
Harry walked over to the office knocked and entered.
"Harry you have been missing most of the day." Jed said to him.
"Yeah I had to go skin a cat." Harry said. "My deliciously vicious ex friend was going to do an expose and further hurt my family, so I laid some well earned threats to her in private." Harry said Jed stared. "Sir you would do anything to protect your girls and grandchildren, I would do exactly the same for mine." Troy said. "Hell I'd do exactly the same for the girls." he added Jed laughed. "I think it's a father thing, anyway she shouldn't be bothering us again not unless people want me to follow through with my threat anyway." Troy said.
"You actually threatened someone?" Jed asked.
"Yeap I'm just like any other democrat now." Harry said Jed nodded his head a small smile playing on his lips.
"Your still coming to dinner tomorrow night yes, we have yet to see the twins and Abby as been moaning at me to get you to come over." Jed said.
"I have cleared it, Draco is looking forward to see you and Abby again." Harry said to him.
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Harry walked into the residence with Draco and the twins, he could hear talking in the lounge and knocked Charlie smiled at them.
"You not gone home yet Charlie?" Harry asked he shook his head before opening the door.
"Harry, is that gorgeous husband of yours here yet?" Abby asked as they stepped into the room proper with the twins. "And the twins wow they have certainly grown since the last time I saw them, may I hold one of them?" she asked Draco smiled at her placing the baby carrier on the table and undid the buckles.
"Sir Charlie is still outside." Harry said to him.
"Would you mind telling him to go home Harry." Jed said to him.
"Of course." Harry said walking to the door opening it he poked his head out of the door. "Charlie go home the president is fine." Harry said with a smile. "Your little sister will be waiting for you." he added the man nodded before leaving he closed the door. "His leaving sir, that boy likes you to much, better keep him away from Zoe or your be stuck with him." he added Abby laughed as Jed spluttered indignantly at him.
"Zoe?" Draco asked.
"The president's youngest daughter." Harry supplied. "Nineteen and a little older maturity wise than her dad would like." he added Abby smiled as she handed them a glass of wine each Harry sipped. "I brought this last Christmas for you." Harry said his friend nodded. "Leo joining us sir?" he asked the man nodded.
"Why do you go between calling him Mr. President and Jed?" Draco asked him.
"Habit and outside of the residence and not in private is inappropriate." Harry supplied.
"Hogwash." Jed muttered as their was a knock on the door.
"You were saying about a quiet dinner." Harry said the man growled as Harry opened the door the waiter was standing with a trolley of food. "Just the waiter." Harry supplied to the man as he opened the door wide enough for him to come in, then let the door close behind the man. "Knock on wood that something won't come up before dinner is over I for one have been looking forward to this salmon all day." Harry said to him.
"It can't be worse than that chilli I hear he did for you all." Abby said to him Harry snorted.
"During the campaign the president cooked us all a chilli, the fact that it nearly gave us all food posioning just goes to show that Jed's cooking is shall we say something you don't want to experience first hand unless your desperate." Harry said to Draco who laughed with Abby.
"Do you want to look for a new job?" Jed asked.
"Sir with all due respect who in there right mind is going to want to put up with your eccentricities." Harry asked Abby chuckled as Draco looked at him. "The only reason I put up with them was years ago I was told I was insane, I'm proud to tell you sir that they were quite correct on that front." he added with a smile the president smiled.
They were eating dinner when Harry's pager went of then his phone, Harry groaned as he picked up his pager and muttered something that sounded an awful lot like parsel tongue.
"Sir I need to take this call." Harry said answering his phone he listened carefully closing his eyes tight.
"Harry." Jed prompted.
"Sir, Miles Tolliver and the plane he was on was blown up using a surface to air missile." Harry said Jed stared as he took a gulp of his drink Draco stared. "We are need in the sit room sir now, they want to brief you and talk through options." Harry said grabbing his jacket he pulled it back on and rose with the president. "I have no idea how long we are going to be so if you want to hang around you can if not I'll see you at home." Harry said to him kissing him.
"Make sure his okay." Abby said to Harry as the president walked out.
"I will do, I'm sorry dinner was interrupted maybe when our terms are up we can have one at the farm." Harry said to her she smiled.
"What makes you think their will be more than one?" she asked.
"Ma'am he can't just walk away from a job half done we both know it." Harry said she nodded his head. "Your going to be mighty pissed at him when he tells you his plan." Harry said she laughed before he headed out of the room.
"Draco stay and help me finish this of, I never get to talk to you properly and it will be nice to learn a little more about Harry's better half." Abby said to him he smiled.
"What would you like to know?" Draco asked.
"How you two met?" Abby said.
"We met in our first year at Hogwarts, we hated each other to begin with anyway." Draco said.
"Your childhood sweethearts then." she said to him he nodded. "It never gets easier to watch them walk in and out of here on mass." she said to him. "Harry will have called everyone back in including the young man he sent home just before we sat down to dinner." Abby said.
"I guess so, they do good work though." Draco said to him.
"To them it doesn't always feel like that." Abby said. "Harry and Jed have daily fights but my god does that man keep my husband on his toes, Harry is an incredible thinker and someone who can discern between what is right and wrong and what is hard and easy." Abby added Draco nodded. "They make a great team, I wonder what would have happened if Leo had stayed as the chief of staff some days and then I realize that they wouldn't be getting as much done. Leo is cautious while Harry knows when to take risks and when to walk away." she added.
"Harry was involved in a brutal war which he was the focus of trust me when I say that Harry has the strategic mind of a general who can and has led armies into battle. Harry has literally laid his life down for this world and never asked anything in return, he had to give up his life so that he could beat the man he was fighting." Draco said.
"Your saying he died and came back to life?" she asked.
"In a manner of speaking." Draco said to her she nodded. "He had a sliver of someone else's soul in him, he let himself be killed thus killing the sliver it was what was needed to be done to defeat the monster." Draco said to her she nodded. "He won't talk about it so don't bother asking, you should never distrust his loyalty I know how much he cares about your husband you and your children, he would quite literally walk through hell for you if it would help to get things done." Draco said to her with a smile.
"And you?" Abby said.
"I hardly know either of you, but I want to get to know you." Draco said to her she nodded. "This salmon is very good." Draco said.
"We only have the best in the white house. How are the twins?" she asked.
"They are doing fine, their quite active really considering their age." Draco said to her she nodded as he produced his phone a picture of them on it he handed it to her.
"Will you have more." Abby asked.
"Not for a while but most likely." Draco said to her.
"How are your eldest?" she asked.
"They started their second year not long ago, they miss home of course but then again who doesn't when your at boarding school most of the year." Draco said. "They are doing just fine the eldest has Harry's brains and wit while the youngest is as sporty and witty as we both were in school." Draco said to her she laughed.
"Troy is the eldest?" she asked.
"Yeah he is though being twins doesn't really say much his five minutes older than his twin." Draco explained.
"Would you care for more wine?" she asked Draco nodded his head to her she smiled. "Your rich?" she asked.
"Between us Harry and I are basically the two richest people in wizarding society." Draco said. "The world actually, if Jed could have him as a running partner he wouldn't need money from other people he'd win it without them." Draco added Abby laughed.
"Harry has plans for after the administrations turns out the lights." Abby said.
"Yes he does, Harry won't let the lights go out on his political career after he has left the west wing. I do think he'll miss this and if I am honest I can't blame him this place must be an incredibly tense place to work at the best of times." Draco said to her she laughed.
"It is, Draco I'd like you to come work for me, my nephew isn't a great chief of staff he lacks and you seem to have as good a mind as he does." Abby said. "Come work for me as chief of staff to the first lady." Abby added.
"Are you serious?" Draco asked she nodded. "I would be honoured why don't you tell me what it entails." he added.
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Harry walked in after the president shutting the door himself when they were alone Harry blew out a breath, "Sir." Harry prompted. "We need to make it clear that they will not get away with it." Harry said the man glared at him.
"A proportionate response, their weren't be any value in it." Jed snarled at him.
"Its what we have sir, you can't bomb something with civilians in your never forgive yourself." Harry said to the man. "I get that you want to respond for the loss of your friend but this isn't the way to do it." Harry said to the man who slammed a book down on the table.
"What would you have me do." Jed shot at him loudly.
"I don't know sir, but if you think that I am any less angry by this attack then you're a bigger idiot than they are for thinking we won't respond." Harry said heatedly the president blanched. "We can't avenge every death no matter how much we would like it, we do not play eye for eye tooth for a tooth with peoples lives who don't have anything to do with the attack." Harry said to him the man stared at him. "I once told you I would walk through hell for you sir, I meant it but if you do this you stand alone, I can't support that kind of attack not at the risk of thousands of peoples lives. If you attack them like you want to sir, you make us no better than they are." Harry said to him. "We won't be able to take the high ground again." he added.
"What are we doing here Harry, why can we allow them to get away with murdering him." Jed said Harry slammed his hand down on the table shocking the man. "Please do not refer to what happened tonight as if it was just one person who died sir, you demean the meaning of the others who died tonight and their years or service." Harry said to him. "I liked Miles sir, and I know his wife has just given birth but he is no different to the other people on that plane, so you want to bomb something lets do it but lets do it in retaliation for the attack and not in their memory." Harry said to him. "They knew what they were doing when they signed up, like we all knew when we entered this place their would be days when we wouldn't want to get up, their would be days like today when we lose people we care about or when we would wonder what good we do." Harry said to him.
"And there are days when we question your sanity but you have a point." Jed said.
"Sir you decide the message of the day, you tell me what you want then I go get it that is my job, but I am also your chief advisor among the staff in this white house and its my job when I think we are about to make a mistake." Harry said to him rubbing tiredly at his eyes. "We have about an hour before we need to be in the sit room, so I am going to go say goodnight to Draco then start briefing the staff." Harry said Jed smiled.
"Of course Harry." Jed said Harry walked to the door leading into the gardens stopping he placed a hand on the mans shoulder.
"We will make sure they didn't die in vain Jed, I'll have Charlie hook up the call when I come back." Harry said to him the president nodded. "Let her know that she and her daughter are in our prays." Harry said opening the door he walked out the room.
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Harry appeared in the residence to the surprise of the first lady and his husband who were both drinking a glass of wine while enjoying dessert, "Harry is the crisis over?" Draco asked Harry shook his head.
"No we lost a good friend tonight in a terrorist attack over Syria." Harry said to him. "Jed if pretty pissed and as usual I am the one standing between him and the nucs." Harry said. "All in a days work for the president's chief of staff." Harry added at the look Draco gave him.
"Would you like me to talk to him?" Abby asked Harry shook his head.
"I think if you talk to him after I told you he will know and he'll be even more pissed at me than he already is, please tell me you saved some food for me, its going to be a long night." Harry said Abby laughed handing him a plate of food. "I should probably take this down with me, Draco I'm sorry that this night was spoiled." Harry said to his husband who shook his head.
"No problems Abby and I have been talking since you left, I am the first lady's chief of staff the new one that is." Draco said Harry raised an eyebrow at Abby.
"You sure you can cope with two of us, your husband is likely to murder me at any given moment and Draco is more annoying than me when his tired." Harry said to her she laughed as Draco pouted at him. "Honey our kids give me that look when I say no more candy what do you think that is going to do." Harry asked Draco who chuckled.
"You should get back." Draco said. "I have a taxi coming shortly." he added.
"I'll have the keys then Draco so I can get home in the morning." Harry said to him the blond nodded. "Good night Draco, Mrs. Bartlett." Harry said kissing Draco he turned around and left the room.
"Its going to be a long night for them." Draco said to her she nodded.
"You have no idea." Abby said to him. "Your need to come in and be vetted I will sort it out with Harry and Jed so that we can get this done as soon as possible." Abby said to him.
"Why Harry?" Draco asked.
"His the white house chief of staff in the end his the one that says yah or nah." Abby said.
"Why didn't he fire Lyman himself then?" Draco asked.
"He did, with the blessing of Jed." Abby said. "He did fire the man though make no mistake about that." she added.
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Harry walked into his office with the plate of food and his dessert where the rest of the staff and Leo were waiting for him, "Sorry to call you all back in, the military plane containing Captain Miles Tolliver was shot down over Syrian air space tonight. The president is working late gentleman and ladies so we are also." Harry said to them. "Lets work on the statement Toby, Will, CJ brief the press on what we have right now which is in this folder, if they have any questions about our response refer them to the pentagon." Harry said to him
"Do we have a response?" Leo asked.
"We're working on that." Harry said to him Leo got the message and waited for the others to leave before speaking to Harry.
"Do you want me to talk to him?" Leo asked.
"Leo I can't have you go in their and influence him right now, not so soon after I have." Harry said.
"I am here to help Harry." Leo said to him.
"Yeah I know, this isn't easy for either of us Leo you're his former chief of staff and I am his chief of staff. What the hell knock yourself out Leo, maybe you can get some sense in to him." Harry said to the older man who nodded his head. "I need him in the sit room in half hour in the mean time I am going to finish my dinner and work on this night mare." Harry said the man nodded leaving the room Sam walked into the room just as he was putting food in his mouth. "Sam what can I do for you?" Harry asked.
"How is he taking it?" Sam asked.
"How do you think Sam?" Harry asked him the man nodded. "Is their anything you need in particular?" he asked politely.
"Are we planning a strike?" Sam asked.
"Most likely within the next forty eight hours." Harry said to him Sam nodded. "Have Will and Toby start working on the speeches speaking against the attacks and then tell them to come find me when they are done with that. I want updates from all departments every hour on the hour, if I'm not about then tell me when I am." Harry added.
TBC: I have broken this up into two parts mainly because I love that you guys have to suffer the wait, which will probably be about a week.
